Scouting

LEC 3 Minute Update - September 1, 2022

Mornin’, all! I’m Jake Brown bringing you this week’s three minute update from Burton, Ohio, home of the Great Geauga County Fair! Not only is this fair the state’s oldest fair celebrating is bicentennial this year, but it’s also home to the Scout building, where Scouts have showcased their efforts within the county for generations. And truly folks, this is one of the best places to be on Earth, in my opinion. You can register for Scouts, pet a horse, and eat fried cheese on a stick all in the same hour! What a swingin’ deal!

Speakin’ of deals, let’s talk about everything you need to know this week to be the best Scouters you can be! We have updates on Wilderness Engineers weekend, Firelands Scout Shop updates, Fall Recruitment reminders, this week’s good scout shout-outs, Cub Activities, Scouts BSA Activities, Training updates, Certificate of Insurance Requests, YPT reminders, and this week’s pro tip.

There are Fall Camporees at at Firelands and Beaumont this autumn, so register today! Early Bird prices will be gone before you know it. Contact John Shrock with questions.

Cub Scouts, there are Webelos Woods, Cub Haunted Weekends, Fun Days and Overnighters, as well as Holidays at Camp weekends to look forward to! And remember Cub leaders, Cub Scouts is all about getting families the chance to do fun things together, like go to camp! So promote them all today and register now! Let Grace know if you have any questions and join us in our great outdoors!

Additionally, if your Troop is interested in service hours, email Grace to help staff the Cub Haunted weekends! We need ghouls, ghosts, and goblins galore!

The NYLT/Wood Badge alumni dinner on September 17th! Registration is live.

Now for this week’s good scout shout out: last weekend, Scouting for Food totals are at 2,835 pounds and 95 participants across the Council! Thank you to all who participated! That said, there are some units we know who haven’t uploaded their totals yet! So if you’re one of them, and we do know who you are, please check out this link to do so!

Training still abounds in plenty this fall, as there’s still time to register for: SM Basic, BALOO, Mobile Climbing Wall, Rangemaster, and G.A.M.E.S. training! All of these will add to your skillset and get you even more excited to be in Scouting as a leader!

Wilderness Engineers Weekend is at Beaumont September 23rd thru 25th. This is a chance to roll up your sleeves and get dirty, helping keep camp beautiful and safe into the winter months. Volunteers need to be 21 or older, and expertise with heavy equipment, chainsaw safety, or any trades is welcome! Even if you’re not skilled in those ways, but are able to use hand tools, there will be projects for you! Contact Chris Fortunato with questions.

Did you know? Certificates of Liability insurance are sometimes required by outside organizations for Scouts to host activities or events on their grounds. These riders are just one of the many services we provide as a Council. If your unit is asked for one, please email lecmembercare@scouting.org.

Also, a friendly reminder to all unit leaders: your Youth Protection training cannot lapse for longer than 30 days. If your YPT is expired for longer, your registration will be terminated, potentially putting your unit’s charter in jeopardy. DON’T WAIT! Renew your YPT before it expires!

Lastly, don’t forget to go to lecbsa.org/membership-resources to request yard signs, pamphlets, flyers, and a professional’s presence at join nights or school talks! Ask in the form and you shall receive, folks!

And that’s a wrap for this week’s 3 minute update! Thanks for all you do and thanks for being you! We’ll see you next time!

LEC 3 Minute Update - June 10, 2022

Hello, I’m Jake Brown and this 3 minute update is coming to you from Way Up North in Anchorage, Alaska! It’s a whopping 55 degrees here today, which is a lot higher than the average high this time of year. The chance of rain is low, the chance of moose and bear sighting is high, and, oh, I see Paula Swiner over there! Hey Paula!! And, she’s on vacation so she’s ignoring me. I don’t blame her.

In this week’s update, we have Celebration of Scouting, Wood Badge, Fall Popcorn/Recruitment Kickoffs, Scouting for Food, Scout Shop updates, the last call to sign up for National Jamboree, S’More Cub Scout Adventures, and a reminder about Family Free Fishing Weekend.

The Celebration of Scouting is upcoming on June 24th, so please register now at this link! Send Paula.Swiner@scouting.org your questions, and she’ll get to them when she gets back from vacation.

Wood Badge is still a superb training opportunity, and spots are filling up fast! Make sure you register today for this course before you’re on a waiting list! Email joelbussman@gmail.com any questions you have.

It’s not too late to register for S’More Cub Adventures, so do so now at this link! Email Jess Weaver your questions.

Folks, this happens sometimes, and I apologize for it: I was wrong. The four fall kickoffs, where we will distribute popcorn, Scout’s Own, and recruitment resources to units, will each begin at 7:00 p.m., NOT 6:00 p.m. On the bright side, that’ll hopefully expand your Pack adults’ abilities to be present! The dates are still June 23rd, July 21stand 26th, and August 3rd. Register your unit now by finding these on the Council calendar! All unit leaders from each Pack, Troop, and Crew, are welcome and encouraged to attend. You can register here to attend the kickoff, and register here to register for the fall popcorn/Scout’s Own sale.

Here’s a friendly reminder from both Cleveland and Firelands Scout Shops to stop in and stock up on all your camping gear before heading out for your summer camping experiences this summer. They’ve got a lot of quality stuff, so check out their stock today! The Firelands store summer hours are now Fridays 5-9pm and Saturdays 10-4 through August.

Scouting for Food will take place August 20th and 27th. Please register your unit now for this service drive, and email Michelle.Cali@scouting.org with any questions you have.

If you’re planning on attending the 2023 National Jamboree, please register NOW if you haven’t done so already. The initial deposit is due, and the next payment for registrants is due July 31st. Register here, and contact Phil.Williams@scouting.org for more information.

The FEST is a Catholic gathering and celebration, hosted in Willowick at the Diocese of Cleveland’s Center for Pastoral Leadership. The Diocese’s Catholic Committee on Scouting is seeking volunteers to help assist in use of the mobile climbing wall and inflatable archery range the day of. If you’re interested in helping for a shift, please contact CleCatholicScouting@gmail.com. And also note, even if you are not Catholic, that this event generates an amazing amount of exposure for your unit and for Scouting as a whole. Crowds here usually top 10,000 people.

And folks, that’s a wrap for this week’s 3 minute update! I hope you are all enjoying summer so far, and are looking forward to your unit’s annual planning conference, which should be coming up soon! Thanks for all you do, and thanks for being you!

Eagle Scout Represents LEC at Ohio Statehouse

Eagle Scout Samuel Al-Hawaz from Troop 293 (St. Mark’s - Cleveland) represented Lake Erie Council at the Ohio Statehouse April 6th along with six other Eagle Scouts from Ohio for the traditional Report to State!

They met with Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Speaker of the House Robert Cupp. Sam had the opportunity to tell all three about his Eagle project, which consisted of the beautification of God’s Acre Cemetery, and what Scouting means to him. The Scouts, along with their families, had the opportunity to tour the capitol building and even observe an Ohio House Session.

Citizenship in Society Merit Badge

Dear Fellow Scouter,

Today, November 1st, the Boy Scouts of America launched the Citizenship in Society merit badge, its newest merit badge for youth in the Scouts BSA program (ages 11-17).

In case you've heard rumors or seen early reports on this merit badge before its release, let us offer some clarity on what the Citizenship in Society merit badge is. All key facts and information about this merit badge can be found at www.scouting.org/dei. If you hear or read something about the merit badge that is. not included on the above-mentioned site, then it's not connected to the merit badge.

What you will see in the information and approach surrounding this badge:

Like every other merit badge that Scouts earn, this merit badge encourages Scouts to embark on a journey of discovery. In this case, it's a journey of self-discovery. They will explore a variety of topics around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and they will discuss how they apply their findings to life as a Scout and good citizen in society.

Though we all come from differing backgrounds, in Scouting, our goals and commitments are the same. We all take the same Scout Oath, and we all follow the same Scout Law. This merit badge aligns with the Scout Oath and the Scout Law, which collectively encourage Scouts to respect the beliefs of others, be kind and courteous, and help other people at all times.

What you won't see in the Citizenship in Society merit badge:

There is no merit badge booklet with prescribed approaches or ideologies. There are no requirements meant to drive a particular response or lead a Scout down a path toward a predetermined conclusion.

The Citizenship in Society merit badge wasn't developed by one person. In fact, the merit badge was developed by multiple Scouting volunteers, youth, and professional staff working together. Just like every other merit badge, this one connects Scouts with a merit badge counselor who will help facilitate discussion with the Scout as they seek to further understand the topic and the world we live in.

The Boy Scouts of America has a commitment - both to developing a culture where every youth, volunteer, and employee feels a sense of belonging, and to building communities where every person feels respected and valued. The Citizenship in Society merit badge is an important initiative within that larger commitment. Check out the LEC information website which houses pertinent links and documents. We anticipate adding more items here in the coming days. Please check back to keep yourself updated on the rollout of this new badge.

We are grateful to all volunteers who join us in partnering with families and communities to shape young people of high moral character with greater respect, empathy, and understanding of perspectives, including those different than their own. Thank you again for all you do to support Scouting. Your work is valued and appreciated.

Sincerely,

Marc Ryan
Scout Executive/CEO
Lake Erie Council, Boy Scouts of America